Our government is overwhelmingly dysfunctional, billions of dollars in debt, hemorrhaging increasingly large amounts of money, out of touch with citizen concerns and in need of a drastic overhaul.
We need a drastic change. That's why I prefer Sarah Palin.
Palin doesn't have years of experience in government, a large dysfunctional organization. I view her outsider's lack of dues-paying experience an asset.
Palin's political career is a case study in taking on the establishment. She stood up to members of her own party who abused their positions. She risked her political career when she resigned her $130,000 position as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission in protest over the alleged ethical violations by the state Republican chair, a commission member.
Palin ran head on at the men who run Alaska's in-bred politicians and cleaned their clocks. When Palin landed in the governor's office, she immediately set to work to clean up corruption, sold the state jet and passed an ethics reform bill.
As a new governor Palin challenged the influence of big oil companies who had a stranglehold on the Alaska political/economic situation, reviving a stalled effort to build a natural gas pipeline and putting this pipeline back into competitive, transparent bidding.
Through Palin's efforts, oil companies in Alaska are paying more tax money than ever before. Alaska's oil and tax revenues for FY 2007 topped $10 billion and that's twice as much as FY 2006 and four times as much as FY 2004.
In pursuing a natural gas pipeline, Palin demonstrated herself a competent, decisive leader who set a clear direction; articulated her expectations; delegated authority for detail work and implementation; remained undeterred by powerful political opposition; rallied public support for her approach and achieved success.
What about Palin's foreign policy inexperience so painfully aired on media interviews? Every new hire needs training. In selecting a candidate for any position, I'd choose one with integrity over one with knowledge any day. You can train knowledge, you can't train character. Her debate on Thursday showed her to be a quick study.
Palin manages an $11 billion operating budget, a $1.7 billion capital expenditure budget and over 20,000 state employees.
In two years as governor, she vetoed more than $499 million from Alaska's capital budget.
She transitioned from her mayoral "let me get earmarks for my community" to a decidedly difference stance, telling Alaska's legislature, we "cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal earmarks." Palin's budget chief directed state agencies to reduce earmark requests to the "most compelling needs" with a "strong national purpose."
Palin tells us McCain will assign her with reforming Washington and tackling energy policies. Compared to other leaders and in these areas Palin brings much to the table. We know she's tough and tenacious. We know she connects with people, immediately and viscerally. Most Americans call her Sarah rather than Palin.
Based on what we've seen so far, Palin absolutely promises business as unusual -- and isn't that what we want?
Some ask, "Can we afford this Palin's inexperience with the government and media when the vice president is a heartbeat away from the president? I reverse this -- can we afford business as usual and a lack of strong values in the candidate we choose for the situations looming ahead for which no training exists? We need a Palin.
Lynne Curry is president of The Growth Company in Anchorage and a Daily News columnist.
By LYNNE CURRY